


Of love and dreams to share

by TongueTiedRaven



Series: 12 Days of Prompts [12]
Category: Ao no Exorcist | Blue Exorcist
Genre: Christmas Eve, Fluff, Gen, Nightmares, Presents, Shiro was a good dad, young okumura twins
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:14:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28315119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TongueTiedRaven/pseuds/TongueTiedRaven
Summary: Shirou put the last present under the branches and sat back to consider the tree. It was covered in popcorn, colorful ribbons, small drawings, and even a few mostly burnt cookies that Rin had made. It was a homely looking tree but Shirou thought it might have been his favorite one yet.He got up stiffly and popped his back. A quick stretch of his arms and he was ready for the rest of the night. If he finished the work tonight he’d have all of tomorrow for the twins and celebrations. They could make the Christmas cake as well.Shirou probably should have anticipated the small pitter-patter of feet.“Dad?” Yukio rubbed his eye tiredly and blinked up at Shirou with the smallest of frowns.“Hey, buddy. What’s up?” He recognized the tension in the child’s frame and didn’t miss the blanket wrapped around his shoulders for security. It was either a nightmare or a demon. Possibly both.
Relationships: Fujimoto Shirou & Okumura Rin, Fujimoto Shirou & Okumura Yukio, Okumura Rin & Okumura Yukio
Series: 12 Days of Prompts [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2047784
Comments: 8
Kudos: 41





	Of love and dreams to share

**Author's Note:**

> Today's Prompt is "The Night Before Christmas"

Shirou put the last present under the branches and sat back to consider the tree. It was covered in popcorn, colorful ribbons, small drawings, and even a few mostly burnt cookies that Rin had made. It was a homely looking tree but Shirou thought it might have been his favorite one yet. 

He got up stiffly and popped his back. A quick stretch of his arms and he was ready for the rest of the night. If he finished up the Battens assignment tonight he’d have all of tomorrow for the twins and celebrations. They could make the Christmas cake as well.

He brought his paperwork to the study and sat by the tree. It was a good reminder of what he was doing and gave him something to focus on. 

Shirou _probably_ should have anticipated the small pitter-patter of feet. 

“Dad?” Yukio rubbed his eye tiredly and blinked up at Shirou with the smallest of frowns. 

“Hey, buddy. What’s up?” Besides you, his mind helpfully supplied. He recognized the tension in the child’s frame and didn’t miss the blanket wrapped around his shoulders for security. It was either a nightmare or a demon. Possibly both. 

“I-” Yukio fidgeted awkwardly which meant it was absolutely a nightmare. “I couldn’t sleep.” He inched closer, glancing over his shoulder like he was scared something would be there.

“Bad dream?” He asked casually like it wasn’t a big deal. Not because it wasn’t - Yukio spent far more time than he should have to be scared - but because he didn’t want Yukio to think talking about it was a big deal. Nightmares happened to everyone and weren’t something to be ashamed of.

Yukio nodded stiffly and shuffled a little closer to the table. Shirou pushed the chair out with his foot. “Feel free to join me.”

Yukio wasted no time in scrambling up onto the chair.

“Thanks.” He mumbled as he sat down. He straightened his glasses and tugged the blanket closer.

Shirou scribbled out a few more lines on the report. “So, wanna talk about it?”

Yukio shook his head adamantly and bit his lower lip. His teal eyes darted to the shadows by the door nervously. It was probably the demons then. Yukio had seen his first shadow a few days ago. Shirou hadn’t managed to catch and dispose of it in time. Rin was still unaware and he could be grateful for that.

Still, he hated that Yukio had so many things to be scared of. Shirou had lived his entire life aware of demons. He’d been created for them. Every memory he’d had was at least partially tainted by demons.

Yukio shouldn’t have to live like that. He should be as carefree as Rin. No child should live with that fear.

He flipped his page and started on the back. He was getting soft in his old age.

“Dad?”

Shirou glanced at Yukio over his glasses. Those nervous eyes were back on him. “Yeah?”

“Why… why aren’t the demons here?”

“Huh?”

Yukio glanced at the door again and scooted a little further up his seat. His blanket slipped and he quickly righted it.

“The demons,” he explained, “there aren’t any in the Monastery. They’re in all the other buildings though, even school.”

“Because of my job. I make sure it’s safe here.” He leaned forward and stared at Yukio. “You’re always safe here, Yukio.”

Yukio inspected the table like it was suddenly very interesting. He curled up inside his blanket, ducking his head so that only his glasses and ears were above the safety of the blanket. 

He was still staring at the door. Shirou wasn’t certain Yukio even realized he was distracted by it. 

“Rin doesn’t have nightmares.” Yukio suddenly said in a subdued whisper. Shirou’s pen paused mid-character. He knew that wasn’t true. Rin told him about his nightmares. Shirou knew the sort of things that haunted Rin in the middle of the night and they’d probably surprise Yukio. Rin might not see demons but he struggled with his own. 

“What makes you say that?” He asked while he resumed writing. He still had to appear unaffected.

“He’s always asleep and cheerful.” Yukio muttered into his blanket. “I want to-” He trailed off and fidgeted unhappily with the edge of the table.

Yukio wanted to be brave. Shirou knew it. He had a few thoughts about that but he just couldn’t be sure. It felt too much like he was playing into all of their hands. Doing nothing was no better though, and he needed at least one of the twins to know what dangerous game they were part of. 

“Yuk-Dad?” Rin’s tired, small voice came from the doorway. He stood in the middle of the darkness, completely unafraid. He was in his too-big pajamas and rubbing at his eyes sleepily as he peered at them. “What’s up?” He surveyed the scene, Yukio wrapped in a blanket, Shirou working, the tree decorated, and the presents hiding under its branches. His blue eyes went wide and all signs of sleepiness were suddenly gone.

“Presents?! Were you gonna start without me?” He demanded, cheerful smile showing he didn’t really believe that. “You know we gotta do it together!”

“What makes you think you can open your presents?” Shirou asked while he set his pen aside. He neatly flipped the papers over so Rin couldn’t see what he was working on. Rin wasn’t too good at reading yet but he wouldn’t risk it. 

“Ah, c’mon!” Rin pleaded as he rushed into the room. He clambered up into the chair next to Yukio and pressed his palms against the table. “At least one? It’s Christmas!”

“Yes, and good boys should be in bed if they want to open their presents _in the morning._ ”

“Please?” Rin begged. He poked Yukio whose lips quirked up in a small smile. Rin’s enthusiasm was always infectious and no one could bring out the hopeful side of Yukio quite like Rin. 

“Could we open one now and the rest later?” Yukio asked. “One we share?”

Shirou leaned back in his chair and considered them both. Yukio looked a little less frightened and, well, Shirou could bend his rules for that.

“The flat blue one, and then straight to bed.” 

Rin leapt off his chair and right to the tree. Yukio scrambled after him and they both found the present. Yukio held it steady while Rin tore into the paper. A moment later they had the book free. Rin stared at it, a slightly nervous frown on his lips. Yukio picked up on his uncertainty and read the cover. Rin lit up again with excitement when Yukio showed him the pictures.

“I’ll read it to you tomorrow morning if you two go to bed now.” Shirou said as he stood up. Rin jumped up and grabbed Yukio’s arm. He hauled his twin up and passed him his blanket.

“We will!” He wrapped an arm around his younger twin and steered him towards their bedroom. Shirou noted that Yukio walked with confidence now. His nightmares were temporarily forgotten by the excitement of presents and the presence of Rin. They were both holding the book and mumbling excited whispers about the little boy and the rabbit on the cover. 

Shirou wasn’t certain what the best path would be for either of them yet, but at least they had each other and that was something.

**Author's Note:**

> I did it! All 12 prompts! Thanks for reading <3
> 
> Also, the title is from "Christmas Time" from the Peanuts Christmas Movie


End file.
